SeaWorld San Diego

September 15, 2008

Highlights of this special event include trick-or-treating stations set up around the park, special themed sea-lion and Sesame Street Halloween shows, and favorite undersea characters donning their Halloween best as they wander the park to greet you. Walk through the Shark Encounter for some spine-tingling entertainment and hop aboard the Journey to Atlantis water coaster for a guaranteed adrenaline rush.

In addition to these Halloween happenings, you’ll be immersed in the amazement SeaWorld offers everyday as you catch a glimpse of the intricate and mysterious beauty of their sea-life exhibits including animals such as manatees, beluga whales, and, of course, Shamu! Top off your day with a visit to the dolphin and bat ray feeding areas, and tide pools which provide interactive, hands-on fun for the whole family!

The fall festivities will be held on the following dates in 2008:

October 4–5, 11–12, 18–19, 25–26, 31 and November 1–2.

Get Away Today offers you Adults at Kids Prices during the fall holiday merriment at SeaWorld! There has never been a better time to whisk your family away to the sunny shores of Southern California! Take advantage of free night specials at our San Diego hotel partners for even more savings!

December 07, 2007

SeaWorld, what an amazing place to visit. It's the only place where you can get face-to-face with Shamu, the famous killer whale. While you're there, you'll be able to watch several whales glide through the 6.7 million gallon pool. It's also the only place on earth where you can get face-to-face with sharks of all shapes and sizes - SAFELY. The Shark Encounter is a 280,000-gallon attraction features a 57-foot, walk-through acrylic tube running the length of the sharks' habitat. As you travel through the sharks' amazing world, you can view hundreds of fascinating sand tiger, bonnethead, blacktip and whitetip sharks swimming overhead.

If you would like to know you can make SeaWorld day even more fun, please take a few minutes to listen or subscribe to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast with Patrick Wiscombe and Alyssa Stark, Get Away Today Team Leader and resident SeaWorld expert. We've also provided a transcript of this SeaWorld Tips podcast for your convenience.

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Patrick Wiscombe: (Get Away Today - Internet Marketing Manager) I’m so glad its Friday! This is the Get Away Today Travel Show Podcast. My name is Patrick Wiscombe, thank you for tuning us in wherever you’re listening. Just a quick reminder before we get started, when you book your vacation on our website, Get Away Today.com, make sure you use promotion code ‘podcast’ as you check out so we can give you an additional $10 off your vacation. Coming up in the next 10 minutes, were going to give you some tips to make your SeaWorld vacation even better. Alyssa Stark, Get Away Today Team Leader and Resident SeaWorld expert, is in the Get Away Today studio with me right now to talk about SeaWorld. Alyssa, I was at SeaWorld in June and didn't know until then that you can actually swim with the dolphins.

Alyssa Stark: (Get Away Today – Team Leader and SeaWorld Expert)SeaWorld offers a great opportunity for you to play with the dolphins with their ‘Trainer for the Day’ and ‘Dolphin Encounter Program.’ One of the best times to interact with the dolphins is during meal times. You’ll be able to interact with Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins, Sea Lions, and Sting Rays. Not only do you get to feed them, you also get to touch them which is really fun for the kids. Most of the time you won't get wet but sometimes the dolphins do like to splash and have fun with you. SeaWorld also features the Dolphin Discovery Show which is a fun show for adults and kids.

Alyssa Stark: Yes, that's correct. It’s a show I wouldn’t miss. You need to be there a little bit early to get the seat you want. They have a splash zone that kids love to sit in.

Patrick Wiscombe: When you say “splash,” that's a little misleading. It's not a splash zone, it's more of a soak zone.

Alyssa Stark: Definitely. The potential to get absolutely drenched is there for sure.

Patrick Wiscombe: One of the things that I thought was really cool when I was down there was looking at the sting rays. Isn’t it cool how they glide through the water?

Alyssa Stark: That’s very cool. They’re very rubbery.

Patrick Wiscombe: Oh, did you get to touch one of the sting rays?

Alyssa Stark: Yes, I did. It was a little bit scary, but it was very cool.

Patrick Wiscombe: Shamu is obviously the main attraction at SeaWorld. They have two Shamu shows at SeaWorld. The ‘Believe’ show which is the afternoon show, and then they have ‘Shamu Rocks’ which is the evening show. A lot of people go to SeaWorld just to see Shamu even though there’s a whole lot more to see inside the park. How can our Get Away Today customers spend more time with Shamu?

Alyssa Stark: You can dine with Shamu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Those experiences will bring you closer to the killer whale than you’ve ever been before.

Patrick Wiscombe: When you say closer to the whale, basically you're having breakfast, lunch, and dinner around the perimeter of the tank.

Alyssa Stark: Yes. When we went to SeaWorld in January, you had to be careful because sometimes you can be sitting next to the tank and get soaked.

Patrick Wiscombe: Really? So water came up and over the tank?

Alyssa Stark: It can. If one of the SeaWorld trainers direct the whales to splash you, you’d better watch out . (laughter). It's definitely a fun experience and SeaWorld has really good food too.

Patrick Wiscombe: The food is really good. One of the other things people don't know is that you can go on fun tours while you’re inside the park. Let's talk about some of those tours.

Alyssa Stark: First, there’s the SeaWorld - Behind the Scenes tour. They also have the Animal Spotlight tour. Those are just two of the many great adventures that await you and your family.

Patrick Wiscombe: In the middle of the park they have a big blue tower called the Sky Tower. Frankly, I think it's one of those things you have to do while you’re at SeaWorld.

Alyssa Stark: You will get some amazing views from the Sky Tower. You go up 265 feet. You’ll see spectacular views of the park as well as the San Diego area. They also have another great option; it's called the Sky Ride. The Sky Ride crosses Mission Bay. There’s a $3 charge to get on the Sky Ride but it’s a great way to relax for a few minutes. You definitely won't be disappointed with the views.

Patrick Wiscombe: At some point during the day you’re going to get hungry. Let's talk about the restaurants. Now, I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of theme park food. But when I went to SeaWorld this last time, the food was really good.

Alyssa Stark: No need to worry. SeaWorld has a variety of restaurants for even the pickiest eaters. The pizza is so good. You can enjoy a plate of eggplant parmesan. They have a Calypso Bay Smokehouse for some of the best barbecue around. Some would recommend that you go to lunch during some of the shows to beat the crowds. That way you're not waiting a long time to get your food. They have a great bakery for fresh baked cookies. As for souvenirs, there are some great shops scattered throughout the park. So you can get that stuffed Shamu or that nice SeaWorld t-shirt.

Patrick Wiscombe: They do have nice souvenirs; they're not cheesy.

Alyssa Stark: They’re not cheesy at all. I really liked them. I brought a lot of souvenirs last time I was down there.

Patrick Wiscombe: There's definitely a lot to do at SeaWorld. Because kids have more energy than adults, what are some activities parents can do while their kids continue to play?

Alyssa Stark: Well, there are a couple different things you can do. You can head over to Shamu’s Happy Harbor or you can watch your kids play on an ocean themed playground. For those adventurous parents, you can climb through the cargo nets or wiggle through the tunnels with your kids.

Patrick Wiscombe: I did that with my kids. That was a lot of fun.

Alyssa Stark: That would be a lot of fun. Another thing you can do is head on over to the Journey to Atlantis water ride. If you don't want to get wet, just make sure you don't sit in the front seat because you’ll get drenched.

Patrick Wiscombe: Yeah. These rides don't just splash you, you really get wet.

Alyssa Stark: You do. If you want to get wet, that’s the best place to be.

Patrick Wiscombe: You may want to consider bringing an extra pair of clothes, maybe even several pairs of clothes if you want to get wet all day long.

Alyssa Stark: Yeah, your kids always want to sit in the splash zones, or soak zones. When they do get wet it would be nice to have an extra pair of clothes.

Patrick Wiscombe: Your kids will get cold after a while.

Alyssa Stark: Yes, they will.

Patrick Wiscombe: When is the best time to visit SeaWorld and how long should you stay?

Alyssa Stark: SeaWorld is a great place for the family all year long. Some of the shows only play in the summer. If you want to sit in the soak zone, then I wouldn’t recommend going in the middle of winter because it does get a little chilly, even in San Diego. You can see SeaWorld in a day. If you want to spend more time getting to know your favorite sea creatures and animals, you can upgrade to a multi-day ticket as well.

Alyssa Stark: Well, this year we have a great special where adults play at kid’s prices. Everyone gets into SeaWorld for $46. That same special carries over to next year (2008) but the price just goes up a little bit to $49 a ticket.

Alyssa Stark: It is. If you have kids over the age of 10, you'll have to buy an adult ticket for them so that will save you even more money.

Patrick Wiscombe: San Diego is one my favorite places to go on vacation. The weather is perfect, but even perfect San Diego can get hot during the summer. Let's talk about places to cool down inside the park. Let’s talk about some of the “cooler” attractions.

Alyssa Stark: Well, a great place to cool down would be the Wild Arctic exhibit. You can see the Polar Bears and Walruses. You can also visit the Penguin Encounter but my favorite place is the Shark Encounter.

Patrick Wiscombe: Oh yeah. I love the Shark Encounter. That is one cool place to go.

Patrick Wiscombe: There's just something intimidating about looking at a big shark. It's pretty cool to be face-to-face with the shark and see those big teeth. They’re so jagged. It's amazing to watch them up close.

Alyssa Stark: It is. It's really awesome. My favorite part is to stand on the escalator and look up at the glass where you can see all the shark swimming above your head. It is very intimidating, but it’s also a great thrill.

Patrick Wiscombe: If you see Shamu, the Shark Encounter, and the Dolphin Show, that's reason enough to go to SeaWorld.

Alyssa Stark: Definitely. If you’re looking for another attraction to cool down, you can head over to the Haunted Lighthouse 4D Show which is great for kids. You can participate in a thrilling multi sensor experience out of the sun.

Patrick Wiscombe: If you've never been to a 4D show, here’s what happens. The seat you’re sitting in will poke you at some point. It doesn’t poke you hard; it just startles you because you’re not expecting it.

Alyssa Stark: It gets me every time even though I know it’s coming.

Patrick Wiscombe: Like I said, it's worth the price of admission to see the Dolphin Show, Shamu, and the Shark Encounter. They also have other shows inside the park.

Alyssa Stark: One of the most popular shows a SeaWorld is Clyde and Seamore’s Risky Rescue Adventure. You can see Clyde and Seamore save the day. This is one of my favorite shows. I recommend getting to that attraction 30 minutes early so you can get the seat you want. Your kids will want to sit in the soak zone there as well.

Patrick Wiscombe: Do you remember the tide pool? That’s the place where guests can pick up the starfish.

Alyssa Stark: Oh yeah, that is really cool. That was really fun.

Patrick Wiscombe: You just go to the tide pool and hold a starfish in your hand. It feels weird.

Alyssa Stark: Bring a disposable, waterproof camera. There are a lot of places inside SeaWorld where you can get wet. You’ll have a lot more fun watching your children's reactions if you're not worried about keeping your expensive digital camera dry.

Patrick Wiscombe: That does happen. I remember sitting up in Dolphin Stadium and literally watch people run because they knew they were going to get soaked.

Alyssa Stark: Yeah, definitely. I also recommend you spend some time at the interactive workstations. There are computers located throughout the park. These computers give your children a chance to learn about the animals they're going to meet. You can see how a Manatee grinds his food at the Manatee Rescue. There’s a lot of fun stuff for your children to do.

Listening to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast is simple. There are four different ways to do it:

1. Just press the PLAY button. (10:46)

2. If you have iTunes installed on your computer, click the small iTunes logo right here in this paragraph to connect to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast inside the iTunes store. Once you're there, click the 'SUBSCRIBE' button. If you don't have iTunes installed on your computer, click here to download the software. It's FREE!

3. Download the audio. To download, right-click on this MP3 FILE link. Select the 'Save Target As' option to download the file.

4. You can also visit the Get Away Today podcast page and listen to all of the travel features we've produced for you.

Patrick Wiscombe: (Get Away Today Internet Marketing Manager) Welcome to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast. My name is Patrick Wiscombe. I'm broadcasting from the lobby of the Anaheim Marriott Suites hotel just south of the Disneyland Resort. By now, you've certainly heard about the wildfires that are taking place in the San Diego and Los Angeles area. Some of our Get Away Today customers have been calling to ask us if they should cancel their vacation to San Diego. Well, the answer is no but you might expect that answer coming from us since we're providing your vacation. The mayor of San Diego is asking all tourists to come back to the city. He says the city and tourist attractions are open for business. Bruce Stratford, tourist and Get Away Today employee, is in San Diego right now and joins me on the phone inside dolphin stadium at SeaWorld. Hey Bruce.

Bruce Stratford: (Get Away Today Employee)Well, we’re just sitting here in the California sun waiting for the dolphin show to start here at SeaWorld. It's really nice down here.

Patrick Wiscombe: As you were flying into San Diego, what could you see from the sky?

Bruce Stratford: Well, we couldn't see the fires because we came down in the afternoon, but we could see the smoke. We couldn’t see of the flames. We flew a lot further south. We really aren’t in the area where the fire was.

Patrick Wiscombe: I understand this is the first day SeaWorld has been open for business.

Bruce Stratford: Yeah, it was closed for three days. They opened the park today. There's a pretty good crowd down here. The sea breeze is blowing. The skies are nice and blue. It's really a beautiful day down here. It’s sunny and warm.

Patrick Wiscombe: Is smoke an issue at all?

Bruce Stratford: I don't think it's an issue at all. San Diego's back to normal as far as tourism goes. People are out doing things. I really don't see much difference than you would normally expect it to be.

Patrick Wiscombe: Where are you right now?

Bruce Stratford: Right now we are sitting in dolphin stadium at SeaWorld. We have a little bit of pre-show entertainment going on right now. You can probably hear that in the background.

Patrick Wiscombe: Oh yeah, I can hear it.

Bruce Stratford: There’s a guy on stage performing for us. The dolphins are getting ready to perform. Earlier we had the opportunity to go over to the arctic encounter. It was awesome! That's where they have the polar bears and penguins. The penguins are funny. They’re over there cleaning themselves and jumping into the water. They gracefully glide through the water. Then we saw the beluga whales. They’re very interesting. Very unusual looking whales. It was really fun to see.

Patrick Wiscombe: After the dolphin show, what are you going to do?

Bruce Stratford: Well, we’re actually hoping to go over and see the sharks. We have been there before and it's really neat. The sharks are in this clear water tube. You go inside the tube and the sharks glide right over your head. [noise in the background] They're asking for some audience participation.

Patrick Wiscombe: Are you going to go jump in the water?

Bruce Stratford: I'm really tempted. The water looks nice and refreshing down there. It's kind hot up here in the stadium.

Patrick Wiscombe: What's the temperature right now?

Bruce Stratford: It's got to be in the mid-70s. I'm sitting here in shorts, a sports shirt, and sunglasses. I'm really enjoying the warm weather down here. It's just pleasant. It's not too hot and it's not too cold. It's just right a right temperature.

Patrick Wiscombe: That sounds like San Diego. Tell us more about the shark tank.

Bruce Stratford: That shark tank is so fun. As you go down inside the shark museum, there are quite a few sharks in the tanks off to the sides. You can look down inside and see all sorts of different sharks down in the tanks. [noise in the background]

Patrick Wiscombe: Wow, that guy is whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

Bruce Stratford: Oh, he is. This is really exciting down here. I have a feeling something big is going to happen here in just a minute.

Patrick Wiscombe: Alright, let's get the play-by-play then.

Bruce Stratford: Okay I will let you know when I take my first bath. When the dolphin comes by and splashes me.

Patrick Wiscombe: How many rows back are you? Are you in the soak zone?

Bruce Stratford: You know, I've been here before so I was smart enough to sit one row back from the soak zone. I didn't get a chance to tell you more about the sharks though.

Patrick Wiscombe: Okay, let's get back to the sharks then.

Bruce Stratford: Walking down into the shark tank, they have the teeth from the sharks. They are huge. When you get down to the bottom, they have a system where you stand on a conveyor belt that takes you through an underwater tube. The sharks are all around you. They’re on top and on the side. Everywhere you look, you see sharks. You can look down to the bottom and see some of the smaller shark teeth. When they open up their mouths, you can see their teeth. They’re so rugged and sharp. It's an awesome experience to go right through the center of the sharks. (music playing in the background)

Patrick Wiscombe: I'm listening to the music in the background.

Bruce Stratford: Yeah, I am too. He's trying to get our section to participate more in the show.

Patrick Wiscombe: Being so close to a shark is really fascinating.

Bruce Stratford: You know, they really have a great experience if you want to see the sharks. SeaWorld also has one for the dolphins. You can actually get in the water and swim with the dolphins trainers and the dolphins.

Patrick Wiscombe: Are you going to do that?

Bruce Stratford: I didn't sign up for that this morning. I’m wish I would have. The water looks so refreshing. They put you in a wet suit and you just jump right in the tank with the trainers. Then you get a chance to interact with the dolphins. [music in the background] Can you hear that?

Barbara Stratford: I love the dolphins. They’re just getting ready to start the show right now. They have another tank where are you can see the dolphins. You can feed them to if you want.

Patrick Wiscombe: Did you like the sharks?

Barbara Stratford: I love the sharks. They're kind of freaky because you're so close to them. Their mouths are open and you can see their teeth. That’s really cool.

Patrick Wiscombe: If people have planned a vacation to San Diego, should they cancel it?

Barbara Stratford: Don’t cancel your vacation. Don’t cancel it at all. I think they're glad to have us here because they want things to get back to normal. I think this is a great time. The weather is wonderful, it's been in the 70s down here. It's perfect.

Barbara Stratford: We’re staying at the Paradise Point. Tomorrow we are going to rent jet skis and sailboats. They are available through the Paradise Point hotel. We’re going to hang out around the resort. We might go out to the beach and go out to dinner as a family. We might drive out to Coronado.

Patrick Wiscombe: I love Coronado. That’s a cool place.

Bruce Stratford: Well, the show is just starting. It’s awesome!

Patrick Wiscombe: Bruce, are you going to do the USS Midway while you're down there?

Bruce Stratford: Yes. In fact, I need to mention a little bit about the hotel we’re staying at. It's called the Paradise Point Resort. It's right on Mission Bay. It's a great facility. Tomorrow were taking the wave runners, jet skis, kayaks, and a little motorboat out onto Mission Bay.

Patrick Wiscombe: Oh, the wave runners. I have fond memories of the wave runners.

Bruce Stratford: Well, I'm really looking forward to doing that. I think we’re going to have a good time out on Mission Bay

Patrick Wiscombe: You and I were talking about doing a sailboat run. Are you to go sail with someone even though your family doesn't want to go?

Bruce Stratford: I'm just not going to tell them what they're getting involved in. I'm going to invite them down to the marina and we’re going to get into a boat and just take off. That’s how it’s going to go.

Patrick Wiscombe: Go enjoy the show.

Bruce Stratford. Thanks. See you later.

Patrick Wiscombe: That's Bruce Stratford, tourist and Get Away Today employee. Even though it's been a very tumultuous week here in Southern California, the residents have been very positive in spite of their circumstances. So come on down and visit Southern California.

July 12, 2007

SeaWorld is the kind of place you can visit over and over especially if you enjoy interacting with the animals and marine life. The mere fact that SeaWorld allows their guests to touch and feel the animals is really incredible if you stop and think about it. It's the kind of experience you and your kids won't soon forget and the kind of place every family needs to put on the 'things to do' list.

One of the main objectives we have at Get Away Today is to help you plan your vacation. One of the ways we go about it, is to help you you see and hear about the experiences you're going to have while on vacation. With that in mind, we spent a few minutes with Booker Crenshaw, the Senior Public Relations Director for SeaWorld San Diego, and let him talk about the park.

Listening to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast is simple. There are four different ways to do it:

1. Just press the PLAY button. (12:19)

2. If you have iTunes installed on your computer, click the small iTunes logo right here in this paragraph to connect to the Get Away Today Travel Show podcast inside the iTunes store. Once you're there, click the 'SUBSCRIBE' button. If you don't have iTunes installed on your computer, click here to download the software. It's FREE!

3. Download the audio. To download, right-click on this MP3 FILE link. Select the 'Save Target As' option to download the file.

4. You can also visit the Get Away Today podcast page and listen to all of the travel features we've produced for you.